Colts v Newark
1st March 2009
36 - 5
Mansfield Colts returned to league action on Sunday recording an impressive 36-5 victory over local rivals Newark at Eakring Road. This weeks game was a reverse of last weekends Notts Cup semi final at Newark which the Blue and Whites edged a close game 18-12 to keep their double hopes alive.
This weeks return was an equally tight affair and it was Newark who edged in front after 5 minutes when a deft chip over the defence was touched down in the corner. This spurred Mansfield into action but with three guilt edged opportunities to score going begging due to poor handling you could be excused for thinking it wasn't going to be their day. The scores were eventually levelled on 20 minutes when a good back line move was finished off by centre Callum Wood who side stepped a couple of defenders to score. By this point the blue and whites had found their feet and were to score again before the break when the ball found a rampaging Joe Symcox in midfield who was unstoppable from 20 metres. John-Ross Ward was successful with one kick from two to make the half time score 12-5.
The opening exchanges of the second half were as tight as the first period with both sides contributing equally to an excellent game of open rugby. Mansfield had a chance to extend their lead after 50 minutes when they were awarded a penalty but the kick was missed. They continued to press and minutes later were awarded another penalty in front of posts only to see the decision reversed because of some unnecessary words of advise for the referee. All was not lost, the clearing kick failed to find touch and instead found prop Danny Ellis on half way who was unstoppable from 50 metres, 17-5 to Mansfield.
Mansfield were now well and truly in the ascendancy and further extended the lead 5 minutes later when centre Ryan Hough cut back on a superb line 15 metres out to touch down. By this time Newark had lost their influential Fly Half to injury and had no answer to the pace of the Mansfield game but to their immense credit kept trying to play rugby, they were finally broken on 65 minutes when blind side flanker Jordan Betteridge stole the ball in his own 22 and powered down field to score. The scoring was completed with the next play of the game when Symcox scored his second and the team's sixth try, Ward was successful with three conversions, final score 36-5.
